Snack Bar Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Health Bars?

Snack Bar Quiz: How Well Do You Know Your Health Bars?

Pop quiz: Snack bars are (A) completely delicious (B) a perfectly purse-size nosh or (C) sometimes a bit deceptive in the nutrition category? The answer is (D) all of the above! Before you make your pick from all the tasty options on the shelves, take our snack-bar ingredients quiz below to see just how well you know what you’re eating on the go.

Which of these snack bars has more protein?

(A) NuGo Chocolate Banana Bar(B) Bumble Bar Original Peanut

(A) NuGo Chocolate Banana Bar

Although peanuts sound like a winning pick for protein, the chocolate-banana bar wins with 17 grams of protein versus the peanut’s 7 grams. And the chocolate-banana bar has 12.5 fewer grams of fat, too! Oh, and did we mention it’s a tad bigger than the peanut one? Win.

True or False: Snack bars that sound like sweet treats are always the most sugar-packed.

(A) True(B) False

Photo: Thinkstock

Answer: (B) False (thank goodness!)

Don’t assume bars with the healthiest-sounding ingredients are always the healthiest choices. Example: Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Cherry Cereal Bar has 3 grams more sugar than Luna’s Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Bar. Plus, the chocolate choice has double the amount of some vitamins and minerals.

True or False: The higher the protein in a bar, the higher the fat content.

(A) True(B) False

Photo: Thinkstock

Answer: (B) False

A bar rich in protein doesn’t always mean it’s high in fat. An example: Larabar’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bar has 12 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein, but Odwalla Nourishing Super Protein Food Bar has almost three times the protein with 14 grams and almost a third of the fat.

Which snack bar has less sugar?

Answer: (A) Pure Organic Dark Chocolate Berry Bar

In snack-bar world, chocolate is not always the enemy (hooray!). With 17 grams of sugar, the dark chocolate choice has 3 fewer grams of sugar than the apple cinnamon, which comes in at 20 grams. As long as you don’t overdo it, snack bars can be a great way to keep your sweet tooth satisfied.

True or False: Fewer calories always equal a healthier choice.

(A) True (B) False

Answer: (B) False

Make your calories count. Although Special K’s Strawberry Bar is a slim 90 calories, it’s also light on the nutrition with less than 1 gram of protein. If you’re looking to stay fuller longer, SoyJoy All Natural Fruit & Soy Strawberry Snack Bar has 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein for 130 calories. For 40 more calories, you’ll get more nutritional benefit out of your bar and potentially lower the likelihood of another calorie-costing snack attack later.